ABSTRACT
Nowhere is it more important to avoid confusing a child’s output abil ity with his or her knowledge or understanding than in the case of the nonvocal* physically handicapped child. Most available tests of cogni tive ability depend upon the person’s ability to draw, write or construct with his or her hands or to speak intelligibly. Psychologists have long been aware of the limitations of these tests when applied to physically handicapped populations. In 1949 Heilman1 noted that critical decisions were being made on the basis of the psychologist’s estimates of educabil ity but that such estimates had to be made from standardized tests that were inappropriate for the output modes of these children. Despite the recognized limitations of their tests, however, psychologists continue to have responsibility for estimating the mental capacities of the physically handicapped, and these estimates often have a major impact on the ser vices children receive.
